


Once Upon An Arrow

by hazelhackley



Series: Killer Princesses [2]
Category: Disney Princesses, Sleeping Beauty (1959), Sleeping Beauty (Fairy Tale)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelhackley/pseuds/hazelhackley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the excitement of Briar-Rose's birth, only twelve of the thirteen fairies of the kingdom were invited to her christening. As a result, she is to die without a husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon An Arrow

A king and queen had always hoped to have children, but as they were getting older, they still had not had a child. When they finally did, the king was so pleased, they held a huge celebration for the new princess, inviting twelve of the thirteen fairies of the kingdom due to a lack of a thirteenth golden plate. As tradition said, the fairies gave out their magical gifts to the young girl. 

The last fairy walked in, insulted that she was the sole person in the whole of the kingdom not invited. Knowing the royal concern for carrying on the family surname, she cursed the child. “Because you did not invite me, she will die a maiden. The child shall never marry nor find love.” The fairy barged out and left the castle. 

The final fairy looked at the child’s parents, concerned. “Briar-Rose will never find marriage, but willfind love and not die a maiden.” The king and queen were horrified, but hoped that they would be able to have a son. 

The princess grew more beautiful with every day with the same sweeping golden curls of her mother. One day, she sat in her mother’s lap as she brushed out the long flowing locks. “ _Mutter_ , when will I marry?” The girl of fourteen sounded worried. 

“My child, it is time for me to tell you the truth. When you were born, we had a celebration for you. Most of the gifts were lovely. But one fairy cursed you. You would die a maid, never to find love or marry. The last fairy changed it so that you would not marry, but would neither die loveless or as a maid. We still wanted you to be happy once you grew up.” 

In a fit of anger, the young girl burst from her mothers’ chambers. The queen had thought it best to leave her daughter to her room to settle down and didn’t chase after her. At dinner, Briar-Rose acted as if nothing had occurred. Hours later, in the dead of the night, she took a small knapsack, a supply of arrows and a bow, and fled off on her horse. 

X 

After years, Briar had a small cabin in the depths of the woods, far from her parents’ kingdom. Her hair was lightly matted, but still in thick golden locks, tied back with a black ribbon to not get in her way when she was hunting. She had traded her silks in the market for wool and other sturdier fabrics, making a slotted dress which she was able to find meals in, every inch covered to avoid gashes and bruises. 

On a mid-day ride on Chestnut, she stumbled upon a young man. She snuck back in the bushes to watch him. He was handsome, there was no doubt. It was love at first sight. The young man’s father followed him, lecturing him on the kingdom’s need for him to take a bride. Briar sighed. It could never be. Imagining a wedding of her own, she had gone through the motions, finding she was incapable of saying the words “I do,” consecutively. 

The two men took their horses to a fast gallop. Briar carefully followed after them, keeping a distance. The castle was like any other, banners high. But the young man, seemed apprehensive as he approached his home. She turned the horse around, not wanting any guards to become suspicious of her behavior.

Briar became increasingly more aware of the prince’s behavior. He often took rides in her wood for relaxation. Briar could see him become more calm through these treks. Eventually, he was no longer alone, taking girls with him. One in particular, he appeared to have taken to, named Fera. She looked infatuated with the young prince. Briar was overwhelmed with jealousy. _If she couldn’t have him, no one would._ Weeks later, Briar narrowed her eyes, breath even with an arrow, notched back to her ear, taking aim for the young maid. Taking note of the line of the outer corset, she breathed in, bringing the string of the bow back as far as possible, breathed out, and let go. Even from the distance, Fera fell off her horse, bleeding out, whale boning cracking along with her ribcage into her main artery to the heart. Briar slunk back in the shadows quietly, deed done. 

After several suitors killed, Prince Philip took to the wood under cover of night to find the killer, realizing they must live in the forest. An expert tracker, he found the cottage. Briar had grown careless having lit a fire that night, smoke signaling to Philip. Smelling the fire, he heard humming and singing. He had expected a mountain man of sorts, but the voice from behind the door was like that of an angel’s. Remembering his dignity, he knocked on the heavy door, interrupting the lady, who opened the door, appearing surprised. 

“You’ve been following me.” Philip crossed his arms across his chest. “And despite the fact I must find a bride soon, you insist on shooting down every single last one of them. Explain yourself.” He demanded of the girl. Briar-Rose stepped back from the door frame. 

“Won’t you come in?” She asked Philip, remembering her manners. “I was just sitting down to dinner, if you’d like to join me.” She invited him to the table. Philip had prepared to hate the owner of the cottage, but she was such a dream, he couldn’t possibly. He nodded a yes and handed his cape and hat to Briar-Rose, who hung them on a peg by the wall. The pair sat at the table, Briar putting out another setting for the gentleman. 

“Back to my question -“ his mouth was agape, at a loss for a name. 

“Briar Rose.” 

“-Briar-Rose. Philip.” He completed and explained himself. 

“As a child, my parents neglected to invite one particular fairy to my christening. She cursed me to die a maid, upon finding that she had not received an invitation. The next fairy deemed I would die unmarried, but not as a maid. I discovered this when I was fourteen years of age.” 

The Prince was at a loss for words. “And what has this to do with killing my potential brides?” he dug into a leg of a rabbit. 

“I fell in love.” She said, embarrassed, staring into the stew. “I believed if I could continue watch over you, you would stay unbetrothed and fall in love with me.” The prince was shocked. “You can’t say you don’t feel something for me.” Briar-Rose picked her head up. “I saw your face the moment I opened the door.” 

“Philip cleared his head. “My lady, I believe you are right. You have my word that I shall not lay with another as long as I live. But for now, my fair, my father will be on the grounds searching for me. I will return.” 

In the coming months, the pair fell deeply in love. Maleficent eventually discovered what was happening. A thorny hedge grew around the cottage. At the front of the hedge was etched a greeting. 

None shall pass but the gold of her heart. None shall pass 

but the righteous, valiant man of the sword. 

Due to the popularity of the princess’ disappearance and capture, many attempted to breach the hedge, believing themselves to be the righteous, valiant men of the sword the placard referred to. Prince Philip had sent many in his stead, disheartened. His father was upset as his refused to do much of anything, dropping into a constant state of misery. “You are not just a prince, my boy, but a man of the sword of the family of _Münze_!” Philip perked up, realizing what his father had said. 

“ _Danke_ , Father! I will return later.” Philip sped with urgency to the hedge. He drew his sword in an effort to battle the thorns, but they drew back from him, like water from Moses, allowing him passage. Philip burst through the door as soon as he got through the maze of the hedge, finding Briar-Rose collapsed on the floor from hunger, unable to leave the house to hunt. He searched the cupboards quickly, finding an old stew. He carefully took his lover in his arms, feeding the stew to her weak form. “Can you hear me, Briar-Rose?” she murmured a yes. “Maleficent cast a hedge upon your home. Only I can breach it. I will come to you every morning so that you are able to catch your food for the day, but I must return to the castle by nine. Will that work for you?” She nodded, already gaining energy from the stew. “You gave me such a scare. For now, I must go. Will you be alright until the morning?” She nodded again, pleased to just be in the warm embrace of Philip once again. 

Philip fled the house, angered that Maleficent had nearly murdered his lover, and searched the kingdom over for her. Finding her castle, deep black, surrounded by a dead glen, he dismounted his horse, killing all cronies that stood in his way, eventually finding her on what once was a throne room. “Oh how sweet. The prince come to enact revenge for his lover.” She spoke, condescending to Philip. “Is she dead?” Her words felt like spears. 

“No. But you will be.” He drew a sword. 

“Oh, very well. If you insist.” She stood, drawing herself larger, transforming into a giant flaming dragon. 

The fight went on for what felt like days. Philip in the end, succeeded. With her death, all magic in the land caused by her ceased to be, freeing Briar-Rose from her thorny prison cell, leaving the lovers able to continue their secret affair.  


End file.
